A group of scientists who admire the "King of Pop", Michael Jackson, have developed a scientific explanation of how the singer was able to perform one of his most famous steps, leaning forward with his trunk straight, according to a study published in Journal of Neurosurgery.
Most dancers with a "very strong" torso achieve a tilt of a maximum of 30 degrees when performing Jackson's famous stunt, while the icon could easily tilt 45 degrees, the authors noted. The artist's muscular strength made it possible for him to perform that amazing dance pass, which millions of people have tried to emulate and have been injured in the attempt.
Three neurosurgeons from the Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India, set out to scientifically examine the anti-gravity tilt introduced by the artist in the Smooth Criminal music video.
An "impossible" step in terms of biomechanics
Nishant Yagnick and his colleagues determined that Jackson's milestone was due to several factors, including his talent, muscular strength, inventiveness and the use of shoes that the artist himself patented. In terms of biomechanics, the step made famous by Jackson was "impossible," according to the authors.
However, the special shoes he wore allowed him to manipulate his body movements, thanks to the fact that the heel had a "v" shaped hole that hooked to fixed screws on the surface of the stage. In this way, Jackson and his dancers could almost lean in the air at an impossible angle.
"That was a very ingenious idea. However, even with those shoes people are not able to bend 45 degrees. You need a good core of strength, which Michael Jackson treasured in his Achilles tendon and spinal muscles." , points out Manjul Tripathi, another of the authors, in his study.
Thus, they determined that Jackson's physical condition, mainly in the trunk, spinal muscles, Achilles tendon and the back of each leg, made it possible for the singer to withstand such pressure without injuring himself in the attempt.
